Vertebe stretcher



M y 1931. A. J. SILVA VERTEBRE STRETCHER F'ile d Nov. 24. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 12, 1931. J SILVA 1,804,441

VERTEBRE STRETCHER Filed NOV. 24, 1930 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR A. c]. SL'LUa Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED 5mm era-rear; orrics n'ronr. J. srnvs; or aileron, cALironnrA' VERTEBEZE 'STBETCI-IER Application filed November 24', 1930. Serial No. 49'7,645.

,- separate weights or-by the weight of the body of the occupant alone, as may be desired; which may if necessary be readily manipulated by the occupant withoutassistance from others; and which may be easily adjusted'so that persons of different height may be accommodatedwith equal facility. p f

Theseiobjects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In. the drawings similar characters-of ref erence indicate corresponding parts in the several views: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the stretcher as positioned to be used when the stretching is to be accomplished by "the weights. f

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device with the body supporting structure positioned for use when the stretching is'to be done'by the weight of theoccupant. I

V Fig. 3 is a sectional viewofa telescopic counterweight unit. Q

Figr is a fragmentary perspectiveview showing the adjustable supporting structure for the rails. i 1

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view a showing a means for maintaining the weight cords in place when idle.

Referring'now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the supporting framework of the apparatus com prises a pair of transversely'spaceduprights 1, joists 2 projecting horizontally from said uprights on one side of the same intermediate their ends and some distance" from the floor, and a platform 3 supported onsaid joists at their outer ends.

at their upper ends; which shaft passes As fi 4 i n ported by and extends betweenthe uprights vided in normally horizontal side rails6 intermediate the ends of'the same. A concaved flexlble covering 7 such as canvas or the like extends between .andis connected to the ra1ls for their full length so as to support a human body in a reclining-position.

' T he shaft between the rails and the uprights passes through C-clamps 8 which slidablystraddle the rails and are adapted to be clamped to the same at any desired position by clamping screws 9. By this means the point of pivotal connection between the uprights and I'flllS relative to the ends of the latter maybe altered to suit different cond .tions. I

. ALtthe ends of the rails opposite the oists and platform is a roller or sheave unit 10 'journaled in connection with and extending between said rails. Transversely spaced cords .11 pass about said rollerand at their lower ends areattachedto weights 12. At their upper ends these cords are connected to a common hand bar 13. Another independent cord 14 passes about the roller between the cordsll, said cord 14 having a weight 15 on its lower end and a head engag ng strap or clamping device16 on itsuppcr end. The weight and cord units are removable and'to hold them n place n a certain neutral posi- --tion before the operator desires to make use of thesame provide a crossbar 17 extending between the .rails in front of the roller.

This bar is notchedfrom the top down inline ,with the cords, as shown at 18, and both the cords are provided with knots 19 or which are-incapable of. passing through the. notches at the bottom of the same.

At their opposite ends the rails overhang the joists somewhat andrigid legs 20 depend from said rails at that end. At the1r lower ends the legs [are connected together by a cross-bar 21 whichis adapted to'bel engaged on its forward side by a spring catchf22 mounted on 'a. cross member 28 supported by the joists. .VVhen the catch'is thus engaged the ,rails' are horizontal and are prevented from tipping down at their head or weighted end. To .preventthe legs from tending to .move past the catchrigid stops 24 are mounted on and-project upwardly from the memthe like J:-

her 23 to engage the forward side of the crossbar 21.

Pivoted in connection with the rails at their junction with the legs are auxiliary legs 25 which extend down alongside the legs 20 and are held at any desired angle relative thereto by a quadrant and clamping device suchas is indicated at 26. Slidable along and 'adjust able relative to the auxiliary legs are straps 27 to the lower end of which a foot platform 28 is pivoted. This platform is normally disposed substantially at right angles to the legs and projects toward the platform 3. It is maintained at any desired angle relative to said by suitable quadrant and clamping device 29 arranged between the platform 28 and the straps 27. Adjusting the angularity of the auxiliary legs therefore adjusts the platform 28 also, but adjustment of the latter relative to the auxiliary legs may be accomplished independently of the adjustment of the legs themselves or of the sliding of the straps 27. The platform 28 is provided with fixed shoe or foot locating andstrapping devices'of suitable character such as indicated at 30. i v

In operation the pivoted body supporting structure is first placed and held in a horizontal position, as shown inFig. 1. The occupant first sits on the rear end of the cover 7 with his feet engaging the clamping devices 30. Then if necessary he adjusts the height of the platform 28 from the rails so as to -'con form to the length of his legs from the knees down. His feet having been strapped onto the members 30 he reclines on the covering 7 andengages the head strapping device 16 'ith his head. This brings the weight 15 into operation and it exerts a Constant pressure on the vertebrec and the upper portion of the le s. The weight 15 may of course be one of a multiple unittype so that its effectiveness may be altered to suit. If it is desired to stretch or exercise the arms the oc-: cupant reaches back and grasps the bar 13 with the hands, slightly raisingthe bar so as to release the knots 19 from the notches in the holding bar so that the weights 12 can funcion.

his own weight. the Weight and cord units are first removed. After taking his seat and fastening his feet onto the platform 28 the a vertical position-in a downward direction from the knees to the head, as s'hownin Fig.

2. Downward movement ofthe rails i-s'lim ited and cushioned by suitable bumpers 32 mounted on' the supporting frame. The .oc-

*mrpam is fihn suspense-aeis'iiisimees=ssa If the operator desiresvto stretch himself'by if he desires to stretch himself from his feet he first adjusts the auxiliary legs so that they form longitudinally alined extensions of the rails, the platforms 28 being then disposed at right angles to the rails, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. I

Too sudden tilting of the body supporting structure is prevented by the use of a plurality of telescopic counterweights 33 normally resting onthe floor and attached to the legs 20 by a cable 34. These weights are arranged to engage and lift each other in succession as the cable is drawn up with the "raising of the legs so that the effectiveness go of the hand rails.

It will thus be seen that all of the 'above' operations maybe perfonned without assistance by the operator himself if necessary, though of course it may be more convenient if he is aided byan attendant. Adjusting the aivotalconnection' of the rails "6 enables the structure tobfe accommodated to :short persons, 'inivhich case the pivotal'shaft is moved "further along'tow'a'rd the foot end of the rails,

so as to provide the necessary "over-balanc- 'ing distribution of weight when it is desired to have the rails tilt to a vertical position.

In making such-an adjustment the services of an attendant are necessary, since the struc- *ture must 'fi'rstbe raised {clear ofthe catch and stops and then slid along relative 'to the pivot shaft 4 With the clamps 8 slack; the latter be again tightened when the desired location of the shaft has beenreached.

F romfthe foregoing description it will be readily'see'n that 'I have produced such a device as will substantially fulfill "the 'objccts 'ot'fthe inyention, as set fort-h'herein.

While this specification sets forth-in detail. the present an d preferred construction of the device, still in-practice such deviations from such detail may-befreSorted to as donotfform departurerfrorn the'spi'rit of the invention, as defined by t'he' appended claims.

Having thus desci'ibedmy invention what I claim as'new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent lSIl I 1. A vertebrae and body stretching apparatus comprising a normally horizontal "bod upporting structure, a platform ifioiiiitje d in coiinecti on' withsiid structure at one "end am "hilly pa'fmuel "theme "but below the same a distance approximately that between the knee and foot of aperson, foot securing means on said platform, head engaging means adjacent and above the opposite end of the structure, and weight means i applied to the head engaging means tending to move the same toward said end of the structure.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, with means for adjusting the vertical distance between the platform and structure to suit legs of varying length. 1

3. A vertebrae and body stretching apparatus comprising a normally horizontal body supporting structure, a platform mounted in connection with said structure at one end substantially parallel thereto but below'the same a distance approximately that between the knee and foot of a person, foot securing means on said platform, a hand bar extending transversely of and above said structure adjacent its opposite end, and weight means applied to said bar tending to move the same toward said end of the structure.

4. A vertebrae and body stretching apparatus comprising a normally horizontal body supporting structure, a platform disposed at one end of the structure, means pivotally supporting said platform to enable the same to be positioned parallel to and below the structure or at right angles to and above the same, foot securing means on said platform, and means pivotally supporting said structure to enable the same to be tilted to a vertical position with the platform uppermost.

5.'A vertebrae and body stretching appa-V ratus comprising a normally horizontal body supporting structure, a platform mounted in connection with said structure at one end substantially parallel thereto but below the, same a distance approximately that between the knee and foot of alperson, foot securing means on said platform, means pivotally supporting said structure to enable the same to be tilted to a vertical position with the platform uppermost, and releasable catch means nor mally holding the structure against tilting movement. 7

6. A vertebrae and body stretching apparatus comprising a normally horizontal body supporting structure, a platform mounted in connection with said structure at one end substantially parallel thereto but below the same a distance approximately that between the knee and foot of a person, foot securing means on said platform, means pivotally supporting said structure to enable the same to be tilted to a vertical position with the plat form uppermost and counterweight means applied to the structure and arranged to retard its movement when tilting in proportion as the tilting speed of the structure tends to increase.

In testimony whereof I aflixmy signature.

ANTONE'J; SILVA. 

